Young Love
by amysarah1994
Summary: This is a Celtic Thunder story from Damian's point of view from the time he joins CT in 2007 to the present (2018).
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- May 2007

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

I had woken up to the sound of me' alarm clock going off and reach me' hand out weakly as I hit the snooze button on the clock and slowly got up. I rummaged through me' drawers pulling out me' school uniform. Since it was May and long after Easter, I no longer had to wear me' formal school outfit. I slid on me' black trousers, me' charcoal grey & white strip short sleeve open neck shirt. I also put on me' sleeveless black jumper which of course had me' school badge on it. I grabbed me' my school blazer out of the closet and looked at meself in mirror. Me dark brown hair was a little bit messy, but I didn't really care. I was too tired to fix it. I grabbed my bag from the floor and slowly swing it over my shoulder walking slowly down the stairs.

"Why do I have to take him later?" I heard a voice say while I continued to walk quietly down the stairs. I recognized it as me' nineteen year older sister, Gemma who was attending college in Belfast. I heard a moan as she continued to argue with second voice who I recognized as me' mam's.

"Because he has his first day of rehearsal in Dublin and your father and I can't take him." I heard me' mam respond as I got off the steps and walked closer to the kitchen. I slowly stepped in and looked at me' sister and my mam as I walked to get a piece of bread to make toast. "Hey Damian," I heard me' mam say with a smile on her face. "Are you excited for your first day of rehearsal?"

I stopped dead in me' tracks as I heard the word. What did she mean? "W…What are you talking about?" I asked me' mam a few moments, as I placed me' piece of bread in the toaster.

Me mam looked at me for a moment before grinnin' at me. "Ye' first day of rehearsal with Celtic Thunder," She had said watchin' me closely. "Did ye' forget?"

I shook me' head and looked at me' mam and sister. How did I forget something this important? It only happened a few months ago after I won a singer competition last year. After winning the competition, I made a CD that was recorded for charity. Someone, somewhere passed the CD along the Producer Sharon Browne and boom, here we are now. I gave me mam a soft smile. "Of course I didn't forget." I said as I took me' now toasted bread out of the toaster and started butterin' it.

Me mam and sister just looked at me for a moment. "I'm picking ye' up from school at after lunch, so please be in the office straight after lunch." Gemma said after a few moments of silence. I hated when my sister was taking me places. "I asked mam if ye' could take the train." My sister told me.

"Of course, he can't!" Me' mam said with a stern voice. "He's only fourteen!" She looked at me' sister and I with a very stern look on her face. "You better take him to Dublin and not to the train station." She said and looked at me.

I looked at me mam. "Mam, I'm old enough to take the train by meself." I said rolling me' eyes and looked at me' sister. Me' mom was over protective me as I was the youngest of her children. Yes I was fourteen, but my short, athletic structure, me' baby face, and me' braces made me look like I was much younger. "Anyway, I should probably get to school." I said as I finished me toasted. Me' mam gave me a soft hug before letting go of me. I straightened my school uniform as I walked out the front door of me' house and towards the direction of the school which was only a few block a way.

As I got into the school, me' mind was focused on other things. I needed to find a way to balance school, being a member of Celtic Thunder, and being a normal fourteen year old. Me' mind was pulled back into reality when I felt meself bump into someone. I looked up and saw the principal of the school look down at me. "S…sorry," I heard myself say.

The principal looked at me with a soft smile. "Watch where ye' goin', Mr. McGinty." He said with his strong Irish accent. I looked at him noddin' me' head and watched him as he walked away. I wondered how he knew who I was. In all the years, I have never once been in trouble. I stood there for a moment, deep in thought when the bell rung out to signify that class was about to start. It pulled me back to reality as I walked to me' classroom with the rest of me' schoolmates.

The day seemed to move slowly. I wasn't sure if it was because I was just nervous about what the day had to offer or because it was the fact that I had to spend over three hours in the car with Gemma. Both thoughts scared the hell out of me. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the bell to signify lunch rang. I got out of me' seat and walked towards the outdoor cafeteria area. I sat down at the furthest table from the door and took out me' sandwich. I watched as me' fellow schoolmates walked around with each other or kicked a football around. I sighed to meself as everyone was having a grand old time. After I finished me' sandwich, I walked back inside the building and towards the office. Sitting there in one of the chairs was, Gemma. I was shocked that she actually showed up. A part of me thought that she was going to force me to take the train. "Ye' ready to go, squirt?" She asked as she heard me walk in.

I rolled me' eyes and looked at her. "I told you to stop calling me, squirt!" I yelled at her while we walked out of the office and out into the parking lot. She only called me squirt because she knew I hated the name and she knew it drove me insane. We got to her 2018 Red Toyota Corolla and got into the front seat of the car. She looked at me as I did, but didn't say a word. She got into the driver's seat and she started to drive.

As she drove, I just stared at everything that passed by wondering why. Why I was the outcast at my school? Why couldn't I make friends easily? But more importantly, why was I given this opportunity that I honestly knew nothing about. Finally, after three hours and twenty two minutes of complete silence, we arrived in front of the studio where we were going to be rehearsing. I thanked Gemma and got out of the car. I took a deep breath and just stood in front of the entrance, thinking, not wanting to go in, and wishin' I could just run.

"Damian?" An unfamiliar voice said, pulling me from my thought. I looked up to see a face starin' at me. "I'm Sharon Browne." The voice said. I guess I was just staring at the person since just had to introduce herself.

I snapped back to reality again. "Oh…um…hi," I said and looked at the woman who had now held out her hand. I took her hand and shook it. "I'm Damian McGinty." I said and took me' hand away from hers. I nervously looked at her as she gestured for me to follow. We walked into the studio and standing around the piano was a group of three guys. "Lads," Sharon said looking from me to them. "This is Damian McGinty."

"Hello young man." The first guy said as he turned around and walked up to us. I gave the guy a friendly smile trying not to be nervous. "I'm George Donaldson." He said looking at me. He had brown eyes and a big smile on his face. He held out his hand for me to shake.

"Hello, George." I said with a soft smile. He stood about six foot, two inches tall and looked really intimidating. I slowly lifted me' hand to shake his large hand. "It's a pleasure to meet ye'." I said looking around the room. My heart was still pounding in my chest.

"Likewise," George said with a smile as two another people turned around and walked over to where Sharon, George, and I were standin'. The first man had spiked up brownish blonde hair and blue eyes. The second had blue eyes and dark brown hair. "Damian, this is Paul Byrom." He said pointing to the man with spiked up hair. "And this is Ryan Kelly." He said pointing to the other one.

"Pleasure to meet ye'." Ryan said with his soft voice and held out his hand. I smiled and shook Ryan's hand. "It's a pressure to meet ye' too." He stood about five foot, ten inches tall, so someone again was towering over me. I thought to meself about how someone my height was going to fit in with all these lads who were all taller than I was.

Paul and George walked over to me and Ryan. "How are ye' doin, Damian?" Paul asked with a smile. I smiled back and thought of an answer. I really wasn't sure how I was doing in all honesty. I had all these emotions. I was scared, nervous, and doubtful all at the same time. I guess my look on my face said it all because he put his arm around my shoulder and said. "There is no need to be nervous, we are a bunch of nice, lads."

I was about to respond when I heard the door open and I turned my head to see a blonde haired guy walk in. My jaw dropped as I saw him make his way around the room. This young man had a surfer look to him. The way his hair was cut in a way where it wasn't short, but it wasn't super long. "Who's that?" I asked looking at Paul.

"That is Keith Harkin." George said in his Scottish accent. "Hey Keith," He said trying to get his attention. Keith looked at George and walked over to where we were all standing. "This is Damian McGinty," George said looking at me and then back at Keith.

Keith held out his hand and smiled softly at me. "Pleasure to meet ye', Damo" Keith said. I thought for a moment. Keith had given me a nickname that none of the other lads thought of. "It's a pleasure to meet ye' too, Keith." I said with a smile and shook his hand. His hands were soft to the touch which surprised me.

"Let's get to rehearsing." Sharon said a few minutes after we all started getting to know each other. We gathered around the piano as Sharon walked up to us. Sharon handed us all piece of paper with the songs that we would be singing. I looked at paper and smiled softly. I would be doing solos on four different songs. The first one I was going to was 'Come by the Hills' which is a Traditional Scottish folk song. The nest song I was singing was called 'A Bird without Wings' which is a song I actually never heard of before. The third song was called 'Puppy Love' which was a song sung by Paul Anka, and the last song I would be singing was called 'Young Love' which I heard of and was out of my vocal range so I don't know how I was going to be preforming that.

After a few minutes, Sharon finally spoke and I looked up and her. "George, you will be singing back up for Damian on 'A Bird without Wings.' George and I nodded in agreement. I continued to listen to Sharon as she spoke. "If you aren't in vocal training, you are in choreography." She said with a smile and looked at me. "Damian, if you aren't in either, you need to work on your schoolwork." She said and I gave her a thumb up as a way of agreeing with her. When Sharon finished talking, she took Keith and Paul to choreography while Ryan went to work on vocals, leaving George and I in the room alone. I grabbed my school bag and walked to a chair that was against the wall. I decided that I would start working on some of my homework that was due tomorrow. I decided to work on me' Geometry and Trigonometry homework. I took out me' textbook and notebook and started working on homework, even with George's help, I still didn't understand it. After I did that, I took out my French notebook and started prepping for my French test which I had tomorrow, first thing in the morning.

"Damian, George!" Sharon yelled from outside "We are going to work on group choreography!" She said as I put my French notebook back and followed George outside of the room we were in. "You look exhausted." George whispered as we followed Sharon into the dance studio. I shrugged my shoulders and looked at him. Truth was, I was exhausted, I've been up since seven in the morning and it was almost five thirty in the evening. Who knew how long rehearsal was going to last.

George and I got into the dance studio to see Ryan, Keith, and Paul all joking around with each other. "Can you lads stop joking around for two seconds?" Sharon asked them giving them a stern look. I slowly followed George into the dance studio. Everyone looked like they knew how to dance just by looking at them. I was the only one who didn't know how to dance.

We got our choreography for our opening number called 'Heartland.' The choreography wasn't that difficult, but I was still struggling to get it. Everyone seemed to get it except me, and I was starting to doubt meself. After what seemed about two hours, the rehearsal finally ended. Everyone walked back into the lodge area and Paul had is arm wrapped around me' shoulder like he was trying to comfort me. "Don't worry, Damo," He said looking at me while I grabbed my school bag. "You'll get the choreography soon enough." He said with a smile. "We are all here to help each other." I smiled as I waved bye to the lads. I got into my mam's car a immediately closed me' eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- June 8th

Rehearsals were in full swing and I was starting to get used to me' hectic schedule. I had school from nine o'clock in the morning until one o'clock in the afternoon. Me' mam or sister would pick me up from school and we would drive three hours and twenty-two minutes to Dublin. I would have rehearsal from four thirty in the afternoon until about eight or nine o'clock at night. I wouldn't get home usually after midnight and then I would do it all again the next day.

I woke up before my alarm clock this morning as I was nervous for everything that was going on today. I had school and rehearsal, but I wasn't coming home this weekend. Me high school Choir class and my high school Drama classes were spending the weekend in Dublin. We had a massive choir competition on Saturday and then on Sunday, the drama classes were seeing a show. Me' mind was all over the place as I walked down the stairs for breakfast.

"Mornin' Damian," Me' father said as I walked into the kitchen. He was still home as on Friday's he doesn't go to work until later in the morning. He was wearing his favorite pajama pants, a white shirt, and a stripped bathrobe. "We are sorry we can't see your choir perform tomorrow." He said looking at me.

"It's fine." I said looking back at him. It was the weekend of me' parent's anniversary so they were spending the weekend in Galway. "It's not like I was going to have a solo or anything." I responded and looked at me' parents. "I am just going to be singing back up anyway." I said and looked down at the table.

My parents had a look of surprise on their face. I guess the fact that I didn't have a solo shocked them. "Did you even try out for one?" Me' father asked me. "If you tried out and didn't get on that's fine, but if you missed a perfect opportunity to audition for something and not take it, then that's not right." Me' father said sternly. "That's not how we raised you."

I looked at me' father, tears forming in me' eyes as he was kind of yelling at me. "I'm not good enough to get a solo in school." I said looking at him. "You know that, da!" I shouted at him and looked at me' mam. "I don't even know how I'm in Celtic Thunder."

Me' mam walked over to me and kneeled down next to me. "You are in Celtic Thunder because you are an amazin' singer." Me' mam said and looked over at me' dad. "Why must you always put all this pressure on him?" She asked my dad. My dad just shrugged and looked at me. "Sorry Damian." He said kindly. Normally, my dad doesn't apologize for things but I guess the look me' mam gave scared him.

"I should probably get goin'." I said and looked at both of my parents. It was still early, but I wanted to get to school and work on some of my Celtic Thunder music with my choir teacher. My mam signed me up for weekly private lessons through my school which I was surprised about. "Have fun in Galway." I said as I grabbed my bag and walked out the door. My mind was still racing with the things my dad said. Truth was, I wanted to audition for the solo, but I knew for a fact that I wasn't good enough to get it. I looked at the ground as I walked to school, figurin' out how different my life would be if I was someone different. I got to school; it was almost completely deserted except for the staff and the few students who had morning activities. I walked down the hallway and towards my choir classroom, looking around. I got to the classroom and softly knocked as I saw me' choir teacher in there with the principle. Me' choir teacher waved me in and I slowly looked down looking at me' feet. "Good morin' Mr. McGinty," Me' principle said. "I'm guessing ye' are here to see Mrs. Birch?" He asked me.

I nodded and looked up at him. "Yes I am." I said looking at Mrs. Birch and smiled softly. Mrs. Birch had long blonde hair and green eyes. She was very talented, but she was also very strict. She hated when students showed up late to rehearsals or late to a performance. "If I need to, I will wait outside in the hall." I finally said.

Me' principal shook his head. "We just finished when you walked in." He said and looked at me again. "I can't wait to hear you perform on Saturday." He said before walking past me. I looked at Mrs. Birch, confused. "W…what does he mean?" I asked.

Mrs. Birch looked at me. "One of our soloists for Saturday has a family obligation that she can't miss." I heard Mrs. Birch said. "I told Principal Morin that you would doin' her solo for her song." Mrs. Birch looked at me.

I took a deep breath and looked at her. I already had enough on my plate to memorize with Celtic Thunder that my choir teacher needed me to remember a solo for the competition. "Okay," I said nervously and biting my lip. "What song?" I asked.

"''Back Home in Derry,'" Mrs. Birch said and looked back at me. "I know ye' have a lot of thing to memorize with Celtic Thunder, but it's only one more song, so it shouldn't be that hard." She said reassuring me. "If it becomes too much, just tell me. I'll cut the whole song out."

I shook me' head and looked at her. "I'll do it." I said with a soft smile. "I'll definitely be able to do it." I said reassuring her. I knew for a fact that it was a lie, but, it was better than letting the song get cut all together. I put my schoolbag down next to me and stood in front of the piano, working on vocal warmups and my solo for the competition. After about an hour, the bell signifying the beginning of the day rang. I grabbed my bag and walked to my homeroom class.

The day seemed to go by faster than it normally would. That was partly do the fact that I wanted to get of the school. I managed to fail me' French test I had last week and I manage to get a C- on me' English Lit paper and on top of that have to somehow remember me' solo for the competition, but most importantly, me' Celtic Thunder stuff. I walked into the office at one o'clock to see me' sister flirting with the male secretary that worked in the front office. "Gemma, let's go." I said walking over to her.

Gemma nodded before giving the secretary a piece of paper. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the office with me' sister. "You know, mam and da aren't going to be home this weekend, right?" She asked me as we got to the car. "Which means you won't have a ride to rehearsal."

"I'm staying in Dublin this weekend." I said looking at her and getting inside the car. "I have me' choir competition and me' drama class is seeing a show Sunday afternoon." I reminded her. Me' mam and I have only be reminding her for the past two weeks. She just sighed and continued to drive while I looked out the window. It was another one of those drives where Gemma and I didn't speak to each other. After the three hours and twenty two minute drive, we got to the studio. I thanked me' sister and walked inside the studio. "Hey Damo," Keith said happily walking over to where I was standing. "How was school?" He asked me.

I attempted to throw me' bag against the couch but missed it completely and it hit the wall. I walked to the couch and sat down, me' face in me' hands. "School sucks." I said trying not to cry. I had finally hit my breaking point with everything. "I want to die." I said looking up at Keith, tears were starting to filling me' eyes. It had been a while since I actually felt like this. "I can't keep pretending that I'm okay when in reality I'm not." I cried.

I felt someone sit down next to me and wrap their arm around me. "Damian?" Keith asked in his soft voice. "I'm sure you don't mean that." He said keeping his arm wrapped around me. He was trying to stay calm, but I could tell that he was worried. I looked up at Keith and rolled up on of my sleeves of my school uniform to reveal me' scarred wrist. "Y…you've tried before?" Keith asked looking back at me.

I nodded my head. "I haven't in about a year, but, this is the first time I felt like this in a long time." I said as the door opened up and in walked Paul and George. They looked over at Keith and then at me. "Keith, can you tell Sharon that I don't feel good." I asked laying my head against the pillow and closing my eyes. I felt Keith put a blanket over me and I felt him get up from the couch. I quickly fell asleep.

I woke up about three hours later to the sound of a piano playing which meant rehearsal was still going on. I decided that I was emotionally strong enough for the time being to join rehearsal. I followed the piano playing and walked into the dance studio. The lads were working on the group choreography for 'Ireland's Call' which I haven't even started rehearsing for. A smile crossed everyone's lips when they turned around a saw me. "Damo," Keith said excitingly. "You're alive!"

I giggled and walked over the lads. "No, Keith, this is Damian's ghost." I said jokingly and gave them all a soft smile. I noticed Keith give a little chuckle. "Physically, I'm still alive, mentally is debatable." I said looking at them. "I'm sorry for missing rehearsal. I didn't have a good day at school and I was just emotionally exhausted." I apologized.

The door to the studio opened and Sharon walked in. "Hey Damian, you feeling better?" She asked looking at me with a concern look on your face. I nodded me' head and looked at Sharon. She started to talk again. "Tomorrow, we are going to have a late rehearsal." She said looking at all of us. "Someone by the name of Damian has a singing competition tomorrow." She smiled. "And we will have rehearsal Sunday morning."

They lads looked at me for a moment and then at Sharon. "Can we go to his competition?" Keith asked looking at Sharon. "It would be good for him to have the emotional support." He reminded her. Sharon nodded before calling the end of rehearsal. We walked back into the lounge area and I grabbed my bag. Keith looked at me and smiled. "We are all staying in Dublin this weekend." He told me with a smile on his face. "Also, we are all going out to the local pub, do ye' want to join?"

I shook me' head and looked at them. "Thanks for the invite, but I have to get to the hotel." I smiled. "Me' school should be there, so I should probably head out." I said to them. As much as I wanted to join them, I knew my principal and chaperons would be looking for me. I said bye to the lads and walk towards the hotel. When I got there, all of me' classmates gathered in the lobby with the principal and the chaperones. "Ye' are representing our school, so I except ye' all to be on your best behavior." Mr. Morin said looking at me as I slowly made my way towards the group. He nodded at me before continuing talking. "Ye' guys are going to have free time to roam the area tonight, Saturday after the competition, and Sunday morning." He continued. "If ye' are going out to explore, you need to be with at least one other person." He said. "You need to be back at this hotel by ten o'clock and the lights need to be out by elven o'clock." He said dismissing us.

After he finished, I walked over to him. I looked around to make sure no one was around. "Sorry, for being late, rehearsal kept me, but it's still going on." I said and looked nervously at him. "That's fine." He said as he looked at a group of popular guys looking at me and whispering. I thought for a moment. "Is it okay, if I head back to rehearsal?" I lied. I didn't want to be in the hotel currently, but I knew he wasn't going to let me go to the local pub. "The curfew is still in effect for you." He said sternly. I nodded in understanding before walking out the door.

I had decided that I would walk around town for five minutes before entering the pub. I needed to make sure none of my schoolmates were around. I took a deep breath before making my way inside the pub and saw Keith and Ryan playing darts and George and Paul were sitting at a table nearby. I smiled and walked over to the table. "Hey." I said with a smile on my face looking around.

George looked up and looked at me for a moment. "Hope ye' didn't sneak out of the hotel to come be with us." He looked at me. I shook my head and looked at him. "Not technically." I said biting my lip nervous. "I told my principal that I had to get back to rehearsal." I said as Ryan and Keith came over to the table. Keith wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a warm smile. "Glad ye' came to join us." Keith said.

Paul shook his head and looked at Keith. "Little Damo lied to his principal." Paul said and looked over at Keith. "Said he had to get back to rehearsal and the principal believed him." Keith shook his head and giggled softly. "Looks like we can make ye' a bad boy after all." Keith whispered. Just then a group of Sixth Years walked into the pub and immediately looked at me and started whispering.

After about an hour, I said bye to the lads. Unfortunately, I had to walk by the group of Sixths Years. "I knew you were gay." One of the guys said and looked over at one of his friends. "That's why no one wants to be friends with ye'." His friend chimed in and giggled a little. "Maybe that's why he has no friends, Drew." Another of their friends chimed in. I slowly walked out of there, tears filling me' eyes. I walked across the street to the hotel and up to the fifth floor where my room was. I sat on one of the beds and took out my music for my solo tomorrow. I began singing when the door to the room opened and in walked in Drew. "Great, I'm stuck with a fag for two nights."

I felt the tears form again in my eyes. I hated being called names that were hurtful, especially names that weren't at all true. I wasn't attracted to guys or at least I don't think I was. Keith and I had a special bond that I didn't have with any of the CT guys, but that didn't make me gay, right? That was a question that kept circling me' mind. "I'm not gay!" I shouted at Drew. "I don't like guys!"

Drew shook his head and laughed at me. "Sure ye' don't." He said sarcastically and rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure the guy who wrapped his arm around you was interested in you." He said and walked over to me and pushed me up against the wall, the back of me' head hitting it. "Maybe that will knock some sense into ye'." He said letting me go and walking towards the bathroom to get changed. I collapsed against the wall, in fear.

After a couple minutes, Drew came out of the bathroom and looked at me. "I knew ye' were a coward." He said with a smile on his face. Once again, I felt hopeless and defenseless as tears were streaming down my face. I had nowhere to run as the lads were still out at the pub. I took a deep breath and got up off the floor and looked at Drew. "I am not a coward!"

Drew looked at me and laughed. "If ye' aren't a coward, then prove it." He said and looked at me. "If ye' aren't a coward, then punch me." He said. I looked at him and shook me' head. I didn't have a mean bone in me' body, so I knew that I wouldn't be able to punch him. "I'm not going to punch ye.'" I said and grabbed my pajamas before walking into the bathroom.

I stood in the bathroom for a few minutes wishing I had the courage to punch him. I knew that violence was not the answer, but I was so full of rage I had to do something. I took a deep breath before making my hand into a fist a punching the bathroom wall. I let out a loud scream before looking at my bruised knuckles. "That was not a smart idea at all." I said to meself and shook my hand. I walked out of the bathroom with my hand throbbing and walked over to my bed and tried to fall asleep.


End file.
